Born: 1929

Married: Thelma Bush

Children: Diane Jenkins Marsh and Darrell Jenkins

Grandchildren: Lorie Marsh, Aaron, Tabitha and Tiffany Jenkins

Newell "Red" Jenkins was born to parents, Harry and Velma Mofield Jenkins, in the Rawls Creek Community of Smith County. Newell had two brothers Haskell and Harold Jenkins (who died at the age of 2) and a sister Delia Sanders Wilson. He attended Union Heights Elementary School in the Rock City community of Smith County.

When he was 6 years old, his daddy purchased a little red wagon for he and his brother. At the time, his daddy had hogs and they used the wagon to carry corn to feed them. They wore out the little red wagon hauling that corn.

Then at the age of 7, he and his brother (9 yrs) had their first tobacco crop. Together, they raised about 9/10 of an acre and set the entire crop by hand. The crop was worked by a pair of mules who knew more of what to do than he and his brother did. When his daddy sold the tobacco crop for them, they got $7.50. With the money, they purchased a Sears Roebuck radio.

His daddy owned a sawmill in the Rawls Creek community which was later moved to the Rome community of Smith County. At age 14, he started hauling logs with an old 1929 Chevy truck carrying logs to the sawmill. The truck was found sitting in a barn on Mr. Bascum Cooksey’s farm where Five Oaks Subdivision is located now. The old truck did not run at the time so he had to get it running. When he got the truck running, he built a 6x11 wooden bed to place on the back of it. The truck had no doors, an old wooden cab and it just had 2 wheel brakes. He hauled logs from Beasley’s Bend Road in Smith County crossing the Cumberland River at Rome on the old ferry boat to the sawmill. At that time, the only way to cross the river was riding the ferry boat. The ferry had an old one-cylinder engine that powered the boat. The floor of the boat had cracks in it that you could stick half of your hand through. Mr. Ike Napier was the operator of the ferry boat at that time. When I drove on at the Beasley’s Bend side and we started across the old boat would be just about to sink when we reached the other side. When I drove off to get unloaded, Mr. Ike would patch the holes with old burlap bags and sit there and wait for me to return to go back and get another load. He never left me no matter what time of day or night, because he knew I needed to get back across the river. I hauled logs for Mr. Comer Hailey (Jerry and Mark Andrews great granddaddy), Mr. Paul Caplenor and Mrs. Georgia Mitchell. The last ferry boat to cross the Cumberland River at Rome was named "Jere Mitchell", who was the son of Mrs. Georgia. He got killed in World War II.

In Newell's Words:

In 1940, the Cumberland River froze over at Rome and I walked across it. At times, there would be as many as 35-40 people crossing at one time.

On June 15, 1948, at the age of 17, I married Thelma Bush Jenkins (age 15). My first cousin, John M. Mofield and his wife took us to Rossville, Georgia. We lived in Rome from 1948 to 1955. In 1955 I moved to Wilson County and purchased 235 acres from Mr. Sam Patton Thompson and in 1966 I purchased 110 acres of the Will Harlan estate located on Sugar Flat Road which was considered at that time to be in the Tucker’s Crossroads community. Later in 19___, I purchased 43 acres of the Elam Farm on Hwy 70N that joined my property on Sugar Flat Road.

In 1962, I bought a Lime and Rock business at Rome from Mr. Allison Bilbrey. He owned the rock quarry at Rome and I hauled his rock and lime. When the state started construction of the five bridges that cross the Caney Fork River on I-40, I hauled all the rock for the pillars and for the beams built. I later got out of the rock business and continued hauling lime. I have been in the lime business for 50 years.

In 1973, I was named Wilson County Conservation District’s top conservation farmer in the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s annual soil and water conservation awards program. At that time, I followed a long-range conservation plan developed with the help of the Soil Conservation Service technicians. Over a period of years, I established over 300 acres of improved pastures, 8 farm ponds, one fishpond and 6 acres of grassed waterways. Other conservation practices applied included farming and crop rotation.

In the late 70’s and early 80’s, I was a member of the Tucker’s Crossroads Grange #1240. We met in the school gymnasium once a month. The grange had a beauty pageant where all the men dressed as women and I really did not want to do it, but being a good sport I decided to enter the contest. It is one of my most memorable experiences. Also, I was one of the original owners that purchased the land to build the ball park in the community. This park was built and named after Paul S. Neal of the community who also was a member of the grange for lots of years. The park was sponsored by the Grange and the Grange members volunteered their time to build and run it.

I became a member of the Wilson County Livestock Association in the 1980’s where I served on the Board of Directors and am now a Lifetime member. I hosted the association’s annual field day on numerous occasions.

In the 1990’s, I became an avid supporter of the Wilson County 4-H program and the University of Tennessee Extension Service. At the 4-H County Livestock Expo in 1994 I purchased market lambs at the sale and in 1995 I purchased the Grand Champion Market Lamb. I hosted a County Agents delegation in 1996 on my farm. To this day, I continue my support of these programs and support their endeavors any way possible.

In 1997, I was awarded the Wilson County Conservation Farmer of the Year. I was commended by the district for the work in conserving the natural resources of my beef cattle and row crop farm.

For numerous years I could be seen each night at the Wilson County Fair. You would find me and Thelma on the white benches near the main gate visiting with friends and neighbors. In 2007, we were honored to be named the Wilson County Fair "Old Timers".

The 300+ acres is still a working farm. I continue to raise beef cattle, hay and tobacco with help from my son and grandson. I am member of Wilson County Farm Bureau, TN Cooperative Service in Wilson and Smith Counties and Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Some people have asked me, "When are you going to retire?" I tell them with a chuckle, "when I get old enough."